Manta is an important city at the province of Manabí. Until recent days, it was only known for its important tuna fishing fleet, the production and bottling of vegetable oil, and the commercialization of "paja toquilla" (straw) hats.

Today, the visit of cruise ships full of tourists, the aerial base rented to the US Air Force by the Ecuadorian government for the antinarcotics operations, and the construction of modern hotels like Oro Verde and Howard Johnson have improved Manta’ s economy and transformed the city into an important international tourist destination.

Manta is a modern city, but some antique bamboo and wooden houses still remain as a remainder of the old village. Located at the Pacific coast and with an average temperature of 25 degrees Centigrade all year long, dry weather and dry tropical forest in its surroundings, Manta is an attractive city to visit. Additionally, Manta offers first class hotel facilities and daily aerial services from the main cities of the country, offered by the local airlines Tame and Icaro. The warmth and hospitality of the Manteños contributes to the rapid tourism development of the whole province.

Although the signals on the roads are not completely clear yet, people from Manabí are very friendly, and this makes it possible for you to travel around asking for directions along the way. You can find well known international car rentals like Avis, Localiza or Budget. Another option is to ask for a planned tour at the travel agencies located at the lobbies of the main hotels.

The delicious gastronomy is also one of the main attractions of Manta. A variety of traditional tasty tropical dishes prepared with fresh seafood are served at the main hotels and restaurants in appetizing presentations. Don’t miss the "ceviches" of several seafoods, or the exquisite "viche de pescado", which consists of albacore or tuna fish with peanuts, yucca, corn, and sweet potato.

Continuing the Sun’s Route to the North is the province of Manabi. The outstanding Machalilla National Park is found on this province. This unique national park holds various attractions: Isla de la Plata off the coast of Puerto Lopez, Los Frailes Beach, the Archeological Site of Agua Blanca, Salango, and the Beaches of Puerto Rico and Puerto Cayo. For more information in National Parks.

Fifty-two families make up the community of Agua Blanca. This small village is located 7.5 miles to the north of Puerto López and 3 miles off the main highway. The people of this community live in a very similar way to their ancestors, the Manteña Culture that inhabited this land from 800 to 1532 AC. There is a small museum where you will find some pre-Columbian ceramics and pictures of some of the current inhabitants with the same facial features as those found on the ceramics.

The guides are locals who proudly tell how the community survives without land divisions among them and how their environment has been practically unchanged for years. From the museum, the guide takes you on a walk for about a mile. You will encounter birds such as the hornero with its unique nests, the beautiful motmot, iguanas on tree branches, a lovely clean river valley, archeological areas, a sulfurous lagoon, and a breathtaking viewpoint. You will see the funeral urns in-situ with the human bones and skeletons exactly as they were found. The Manteña Culture buried their dead in urns dressed with their ceremonial clothes and adorned with earrings, necklaces, etc. In the archeological area you can also admire in-situ remains of the ceremonial temples, houses and squares. In the temples you can see pieces of the famed stone seats (small stone thrones) used by the shamans or spiritual leaders of the community.

Machalilla National Park and its surroundings in the province of Manabí are a must for any visitor to Ecuador interested in the unique ecology of dry and humid forests, remains of the most remote history of the continent, and marvelous quiet beaches. Manta is an important city at the province of Manabí. Until recently, it was only known for its important tuna fishing fleet, the production and bottling of vegetable oil, and the commercialization of "paja toquilla" (straw) hats. Today, the visit of cruise ships full of tourists, the aerial base rented to the US Air Force by the Ecuadorian government for the antinarcotics operations, and the construction of modern hotels like Oro Verde and Howard Johnson have improved Manta’ s economy and transformed the city into an important international tourist destination.Manta is a modern city, but some antique bamboo and wooden houses still remain as a remainder of the old village.

Located at the Pacific coast and with an average temperature of 25 degrees Centigrade all year long, dry weather and dry tropical forest in its surroundings, Manta is an attractive city to visit. Additionally, Manta offers first class hotel facilities and daily aerial services from the main cities of the country, offered by the local airlines Tame and Icaro. The warmth and hospitality of the Manteños contributes to the rapid tourism development of the whole province.Although the signals on the roads are not completely clear yet, people from Manabí are very friendly, and this makes it possible for you to travel around asking for directions along the way. You can find well known international car rentals like Avis, Localiza or Budget. Another option is to ask for a planned tour at the travel agencies located at the lobbies of the main hotels. The delicious gastronomy is also one of the main attractions of Manta. A variety of traditional tasty tropical dishes prepared with fresh seafood are served at the main hotels and restaurants in appetizing presentations. Don’t miss the "ceviches" of several seafoods, or the exquisite "viche de pescado", which consists of albacore or tuna fish with peanuts, yucca, corn, and sweet potato.

Manta
The city of Manta is decorated by a wide variety of tree species: ceibos, jasmines, almonds, rubber plants, acacias, mango trees, beautiful palm trees on the beaches, etc. Colorful flowers like that of the "Buganvilla" plant are also found. These plants were named after the French Colonel Bougainville, who visited South America in the XVIII century and was marveled by these colorful flowers unknown in Europe at the time. He asked that these plants be named with his last name.

The balsa tree (ochroma logopus) is native to this province. Its lightwood allowed the first inhabitants of the region to navigate large distances easily and rapidly. The floor of the balsas was built with balsa wood and the walls were built with bamboo (guadua augustifolia).

History tells that the golden jewels and decorations that the navigators of the balsas-- natives "from the South"-- wore on their noses, breasts and ears called the attention of the first Spanish visitors of the Caribbean, who believed that the gold that they couldn’t find in the Caribbean was at the South of the ocean.

A visit to the Central Bank Museum is a must in the city of Manta.

The museum includes a permanent exhibit room of the archeology of the seven cultures that inhabited the province of Manabi from 4.200 BC to 1.530 AC: Valdivia, Machalilla, Chorrera, Guangala, Bahía, Jama-Coaque and Manteño-HuancavilcaWe recommend that you pay special attention to the coca shamans of the Jama-Coaque culture that could extract the hallucinogenic effects of the coca leaves without chemical processes. They combined lime and ash to neutralize the harmful effects and extract the hallucinogenic juices. Another thing worth admiring of this same culture are the gigantic huts that are impressively similar to the Asian-Pacific pagodas. Thus, the discussion remains as to whether the cultures from this part of the coast are descendants of those of the islands of what is now Japan, or if they managed to establish commercial contact with these far away cultures. Thanks to the archeological richness of the museum, some important historical discoveries have been made. For example, the "sillas de Manabí" (Manabi chairs) were believed to serve for sacrifices. Now it is known that they were ceremonial seats for the shamans to share their wisdom and give advice to the community about physical or spiritual sufferings. We also recommend that you take a careful look at the mural that represents the long voyages of the natives on balsa boats.

Proudly, in 2003 the museum received 3.415 visitors only of tourists that reached the city in cruise ships like Royal Princess, Radisson Seven Seas, the M/ S Zenith, among others.
The Museum is located at the offices of the Central Bank at the heart of the city. Entrance fee is US$1. Tour guide in English is included. The museum is open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 9h00 to 17h00.

Bahía de Caráquez
The city of Bahía de Caráquez is named after the bay and the pre-Columbian residents who came from the sea and settled here.
Because of the estuary and the Pacific Ocean around the city, the local nature offers sweet and salt water that allows diverse vegetation. In the area you can find mangrove trees, ceibos forests, sweet water humidity such as that in La Segua Marsh.
A few years ago Bahía became an eco- city as a result of its big Green Movement and because of the community effort to rebuild the city after the earthquakes suffered in 1997. Bahía de Caráquez is one of the few cities in Ecuador that recycles waste serving as an example for other regions.
Traffic is not a problem. Many residents and tourists prefer to use ``Ecological Taxis´´ which are bikes adapted to transport two passengers. This keeps the city free of pollution and offers a peaceful place ideal for vacationing.

Main Attractions

Isla Corazón
It’s a mangrove island where one of the largest frigate bird colonies of the southern pacific lives.
The island is great for bird watching, at least 60 sea bird species are found. An elevated path, of about 656 feet of length, takes you to a strategic viewpoint. We recommend that you go with a native guide.
On a canoe ride, visitors will be able to observe frigate birds, pelicans, different kinds of herons, seagulls and so on.

La segua Marsh:
It’s a sweet water humidity area of about 172 hectares. In La Segua there are approximately 280 thousand kinds of birds. It’s one of the most interesting bird-watching sites on the Ecuadorian coast.
At least 63 aquatic bird species live in the marsh area; the non-aquatic birds are associated to the humid environment.
The marsh is visited year by year by migratory birds that between August and January, turn this place into a provisional spot for resting and feeding.

Cerro Seco:
One of the last tropical dry forests in the world is located in the Bahía de Caráquez area near by the Pacific Ocean. Its giant ceibos have a spectacular shape, which sometimes resembles that of a woman.
Early in the morning dozens of birds can be seen and heard. A small colony of golden orioles builds its nests in the giant ceibos branches. At 393 feet a beautiful viewpoint can be reached to take the most stunning pictures of the ocean.

El Estuardio:
One of the sites to be visited is El Estuario, where 101 bird species have been registered. One of the endangered species that can be found is la Espátula Rosada (Roseate spoonbill). The bird colony on the Fragatas Island is worth visiting.
Information courtesy of: e ceibos tours
There is also the possibility to take a tour to the Hacienda ``Rio Muchacho´´. In a three-day visit you can enjoy horseback riding, bathe in a natural waterfall, see organic agriculture and learn how to make tagua jewelry. All this accompanied by regional food.

Sea Food:
Local restaurants in Bahía serve a vast variety of typical food such as shrimp, fish and squid ceviche. People from the Ecuadorian coast are specialists in preparing fish in many different ways: fried, with coconut (encocado), grilled and in many other ways.

Bahía, Ideal for Sailing:
For the last two years Bahía has become one of the favorite places for sailing boats that travel along the Pacific Ocean. Its calm water, ideal weather, and warm people, in addition to the services the city offers, make of Bahía a great place to track.

Article © by This is Ecuador Magazine  Order your monthly copy of This is Ecuador